Paper Round: Sergio Aguero plans early exit from Manchester City

Sergio Aguero is said to have shocked Manchester City bosses by announcing his intention to leave the club a season early. It's Thursday's Paper Round.

Aguero plans early exit

Manchester City’s all-time record scorer Sergio Aguero is said to have left bosses at the club fuming after he announced his intention to leave for his boyhood club Independiente in 2019 – a year earlier than planned. Aguero is quoted as having told media while on international duty with Argentina: “The idea was always to go back to Independiente when my contract with City runs out in 2019.” However, the 29-year-old has the option of a year’s contract extension to 2020, which he appeared to be coy about.

Paper Round’s view: You wonder if Aguero might walk earlier still, if those rumours about Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez are true. If City clinch the title this season, as they are hotly tipped to do so, and in the face of increasing competition from incoming players, Aguero might feel it was time to leave the club on a high.

Doubtful Mourinho eyes PSG move

The Sun reports on Thursday that Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho could be set to leave the club this summer for Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain. According to the report, United’s board believe that despite his assurances that he’s committed to the job at Old Trafford, Mourinho does not believe he can compete with Manchester City this season, or those in the future.

Paper Round’s view: The PSG rumours seemingly won’t go away, after Mourinho admitted he didn’t plan to finish his career at United. You wouldn’t expect him to – football is a fickle world and Mourinho has fallen foul of more than one contractual agreement. Having managed in Spain, Italy and England’s top flights, PSG would seem the obvious destination, and two seasons is pretty close to Mourinho’s traditional natural conclusion at a club.

Everton aim high as Moshiri approaches Simeone

Everton bosses were said to be split in their opinions on who to appoint as the permanent replacement for Ronald Koeman. According to a report by The Mirror, David Unsworth was back in with a shout as Sam Allardyce expressed reluctance to take the job on a short-term basis. However, the club’s owner Farhad Moshiri is said to have greater ambitions still, having apparently approached Atletico Madrid boss, Diego Simeone.

Diego Simeone has been linked with the vacant managerial position at Goodison ParkEurosport

Paper Round’s view: This, we do not buy. I mean, we don’t doubt Moshiri has ambition for Everton - you’d want to after that summer spending spree. But then neither do we question Simeone’s and, well, you’d have to. If Simeone is Plan A, we’re pretty sure they’re going to have a Plan B.

Chelsea ready to spend big in January

Chelsea are gearing up for a busy January, according to a report by The Mirror, which claims the club will make a bid for Everton’s Ross Barkley, 23, as well as a “big-name” striker. According to the report, manager Antonio Conte is “not convinced” by Michy Batshuayi, despite his comparatively impressive goal-per-minutes-played ratio. Conte is said to instead hope to sign Crystal Palace forward, 26-year-old Christian Benteke, as well as Brazil defender, Alex Sandro, also 26.

Michael Emenalo parted company with Chelsea this weekGetty Images

Paper Round’s view: The news comes days after the departure of the club’s technical director Michael Emenalo and may add weight to rumours of trouble in paradise between Conte and the Chelsea board, and could be aimed at appeasing the Italian manager. The Barkley and Sandro rumours are persistent enough; certainly you would expect to see Barkley eyeing his next move.